The mother of Ivan Gastelum said that her son would have turned 18 on Wednesday and was a student at Winslow Township High School. He died on Sunday after a crash on Route 55 in Glassboro, New Jersey. NBC10’s Frances Wang has more of their story.
At just 17-year-old, Ivan Gastelum was the youngest of the three teenagers who were killed in a crash on Route 55 in Gloucester County on Sunday afternoon.
Ivan's mother said that her son would have turned 18 on Wednesday and was a student at Winslow Township High School.
A friend told NBC10 that Ivan was with his two friends, Dominic Reyes and Brenden Cary on the way to a car show in Philadelphia when the crash happened in Glassboro on March 9 around 4:17 p.m.
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Police said 19-year-old Brendan of Franklinville, New Jersey, was driving a Honda north on Route 55. Dominic Reyes, also of Franklinville, as well as Ivan were both passengers inside the vehicle.
At the same time, a woman was driving a Honda CRV north on Route 55 ahead of Cary while a 36-year-old woman from Monroeville, New Jersey, was operating a Dodge minivan that was disabled on the right shoulder of the highway, investigators said. Three children were also inside the Dodge at the time, according to investigators.
As Brenden drove in the area of milepost 47.7, he struck the left rear corner of the Honda CRV that was in front of him, police said.
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The collision caused Brenden to lose control of his vehicle, according to investigators. He then crossed the right lane into the right shoulder and struck the disabled Dodge minivan, causing it to overturn, police said.
Both Dominic and Brenden died at the scene.
Ivan was still alive when he was taken to the hospital. It was after his family arrived to see him that he died from from his injuries.
The woman who was inside the disabled Dodge minivan suffered serious injuries while the three children who were inside the van suffered minor injuries, police said.
Through tears, Ivan's mom shared his final moments with NBC10 and said how she watched helplessly as hospital staff tried to save him.
His mom said that she barely recognized him as he laid in the hospital bed.
The doctor told her that it would take a miracle from God, and she said that she knew that her son wasn't going to make it.
Funeral services for Ivan and Brenden are scheduled for next Saturday.
A balloon release was held for Brenden and Dominic at Delsea High School, where they went to school, on Tuesday evening.
Police officials said an investigation into this crash is still ongoing.
